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F. R. BATCHELDER.

PoCKETED CARRIER EQUIPMENT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I7 1911.

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APPLICATION FILED IuLY 17,1911. 1,326,01 5. Patented' Dee. 23,1919.

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F. R. BATCHELDER.

POCKETED CARRIER EQUIPMENT.

APPLICATION man xuLY 11.1911.

1,326,015. Patented Deo. 23,1919.

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`FRANK E. BATCHELDEE, on woEcESTEE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOE, EY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, To MILLS wovEN CARTRIDGE BELT COMPANY, or WORCESTER,MASSACHUSETTS, A CoEroEATIoN on MASSACHUSETTS.

PICCKETEDQCAEEIEE EQUIPMENT.

` Spieccaton of Letters Patent. i Patented Dec, 23, 1919.

Application le. July 17, 1917. Serial No. 180,980.

vTo cZZwwm t may concern.'

Be it knownlthat I, FRANK R. BATCH- ELDER, a citizen ofthe UnitedStates, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worces ter, `State ofMassachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inPoclreted-Carrier Equipments, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention comprises improvements in pocketed carriers made of wovenmaterial, of the class embracing cartridge-carriers, hospital corpsbelts, medical oliicers-. belts, and various other carriers havingspecial l adaptations.

- The invention relates, more particularly,

to the pockets, pocket-covers or flaps, and means of securing the latterin closed condition, of carriers of the class just mentioned.

One special object of the invention is to produce carriers of wovenmaterial having pockets with smooth fronts. Another is to reduce thebulk and extent of projection lof a pocket and its cover or flap whenthe latter is closed and fastened. Another is to so apply and locatethecovers orfflaps and Vfastenerdevices that they will be less likely tobecome caught upon different objects in the movements of the wearer of acarrier,

and pulled open. Another is to permit the use of less expensivefasteners than Vthose heretofore found to be'necessary. Another is toreduce the amount of material contained in a cover or flap, and therebylessen cost. Another is to improve the appearance of a carrier. Anotheris to provide for double weather protection on top` when desired.

The invention consists essentially. in a Y carrier `composed of woven"material and comprising a supporting-band, one or more outstandingpouch shaped smooth front pockets thereon, and a flexible pocket-coverorflap attachedfto the-pocket-front and extending freely upward abovethe pocket-top,

-gether rearward of the unobstructed pocketfront and shielded, suchmeans comprising Y permanently-attached separably-interengag ingmembers.

Heretofore inusual practicethe' place of attachment of a cover or flaphas been at the rear of the pocket with which it has been combined,andthe cover or flap has been arranged to extend forward over the top ofthe pocketl and its contents, and down in front of the pocket. Onemember of the usual fastener-device has been attached to thepocket-front and the other to the cover or flapnear its free end, whichlatter usually has had its corners turned under' and stitched to give apointed finish. Thisgeneral construction has a number of materialdrawbacks and disadvantages to which ref- 'erence is made later herein,and which are overcome by the invention. l

Various embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings, in whichlatter,-

Figure l is a perspective viewA showing three of the pockets of acartridge-carrier, and one of the said embodiments of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the open pocket of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of one of the closed pockets of Fig. 1.

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are vertical sections showing other embodiments of theinvention.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing two ofthe pocket-s of a carriermade with another embodiment of the invention.`

Figs. 10, 11 and 19. are Sectional views showing modifications to whichreference is made hereinafter;

which is regarded as best in practice, or may be separately made inapproved-man11er (either by weavingthem as pockets or by stitching theminto shape) and attached to "the said supportingband or backing.

and`cover-fastening means which together The pocket-cover or Hap 3 ofFigs. 1, 2, 3, is a short pieceof woven materia-l`which is attached byone end thereof to'the pocketfront. The said piece is of a Width bearingapproved relations to that of the `pocket with which it is combined,andis'ofr a'length to enable it to4 extend rearward to the desire'd extentover the top of the pocket and around the ends of the clips, etc. Thiscreates a protective device, assisting to retain the clips in the pocketafter the pocket has been Opened. The fastening means for keeping thecoveror flap closed comprises in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, a strip 5 that isattached by one end thereof to the rear of the carrier, andfastener-devices 6, 7, of the well-known glove-fastener orball-and-socket type, the

members of which are applied to the said strip 5 and the cover or flap3, respectively.

The cover or flap 3 in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 is applied to the pocket-frontby entering one end of the same into the pocket, and making the insertedportion fast to the pocket-front by stitches t. The depth to which theinserted portion extends down within the pocket may vary in practice,and such portion, if desired, may constitute an interior reinforce forthe pocket-front, pocket-bottom, and pocket-back, as in the case offront cover ory flap 3m in Fig. 10, or front and bottom, as in the caseof cover or fiap 3 in Fig. 11, in manner which will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art. Other fastening means than stitches may be employedfor securing the inserted portion of the cover or VHap, such forinstance as rivets or eyelets.

In some instances the attaching portion of the cover or flap may beapplied, exteriorly to the pocket-front'` as in the case of cover orflap 3 in Fig. 12. At im isa line of stitches by which the inner end ofthe front cover or flap-member in each of Figs. 10 and 11, and the lowerend of the corresponding member in Fig. l2 is fastened in place. Thecover or flap 3 shown in Figs. l, 2, 3 is a very short piece of wovenweb. It requires no expensive pointing. It is finished with a plain hem,as shown. If desired, even the hem may be dispensed with and the rawedge at the outer end of the cover or flap be merely whipped to preventraveling.

The fastening-strip 5 is shown in most of the views as having theattaching end thereof inserted into a housing-slit formed in thesupporting-band or backing 2, and secured therein by means of' stiches5a. The said housing-slit may be dispensed with if deemed advisable, andother fasteningmeans than stitches may be employed in practice, ifdesired, such for instance as rivets orfeyelets.

Fig. llishows .a modification in which the attaching end ofa'-pocket-cover or flap, 3a,

is entered into a housing-slit formed in the pocket-front, and securedtherein by means of stitches ta. u

Fig. 5 shows a modification in which the pocket-front and pocket-backare without housing-slits, and the attaching ends of the cover or flap3b and fastening-strip 5b, respectively, are woven splitn or divided.and applied so as to straddle the upper portions of the pocket-frontand pocket-back, the parts being secured together by stitches 5,

or other approved fastening means, if preferred).

Fig.' (ishows a modification in which the cover or flap, 3d, is wovenintegral with the S0 the pocket-front. Y

Fig. 7 shows a modification in which the cover or flap, 3e, hasend-pieces 3f, 8f, making a boxed cover or flap which closes theopenings at opposite sides of the pockettop.

Fig. 8 shows a modification in which the narrow fastening strip 5 ofFigs. l to 5 is replaced by a strip of the full width of the pocket,forming a rear flap 5g which, in the 90 closed and fastened condition ofthe pocket, Y makes with the front flap 3g two thicknesses over thepocket-top, giving thereby double weather protection. The rear flap, 5g,in the closed condition of the pocket overlies the front fiap 3g.Socket-member 6g of the fastener-device is combined with the rear flap5g, and the cooperating stud-member is combined with front flap 3g. In Fig. 9 the front flap 3 overlies the rear flap h'in the closed 109condition of the pocket, giving thereby double weather protection,the'socket-member 6 being applied to the front flap 3h, and thecoperatino stud-member to the rear iap 5h. This type of cover-flapgiving double weather protection is covered separately as one species ofthe generic invention in the divisional application filed December 28,1917, serial No. 209,354. A

A pocket-cover or flap made in accordance with the invention doesnotextend down in front of the pocket, as in the case of covers or fiapsheretofore provided in connection with the pockets of carriers of theclass to which the invention relates. The advantages of the inventionare numerous and important, namely:

(l.) The front of the pocket is smooth. This is shown clearly by thedrawings.

' (2.) The bulk and extent of projection 120 of a pocket and its coveror iap when the Vlatter' is closed are much less than in the `of theVpockets while the carrier Vis being wornV is reduced, and the 'extent toVwhich the 130 fastener-devices are exposed to Contact with otherobjects. Thereby, also, it is rendered possible to increase the holdingcapacity of corresponding bulk of other articles.

(3.) The flap or cover and fastener-devices located upon the top of thepocket are out of the way and shielded so that they are free fromliability to catch upon adjacent objects. Carriers having covers orflaps of usual character, etc., are open to the objection that in woods,brush, or jungle, the said covers or flaps are caught by twigs, thorns,etc., and pull open, resulting in loss of ammunition or other contents.

(A.) Foruse with covers or flaps of usual character, etc.,fastener-devices of ordinary character suitable for employment inconnections in general have been found wholly inadequate. It has beenfound necessary to develop expensive types of fastener-devices which cangive reasonable promise of not being opened accidentally, in the jungle,for example. The snap-action must be exceedingly strong, and from this adifficulty arises in its being found too strong` some times, and when afastener-device having such strong snap-action is choked with dust itmay be beyond the power of the soldier or other wearer of the carrier toopen the cover or flap. With fastener-devices positioned over the topsof the pockets where there is almost no possibility of their beingopened by accident, it is possible to use light easyactionfastener-devices of greatly-reduced cost, such as could not be used ifrequired to be positioned at the front of a pocket on the prior form,etc., of cover or flap.

(5.) A cover or flap such as those shown in the drawings contains a muchsmaller amount of material than covers or flaps of the form, etc.,heretofore usual. This materially reduces the cost.

(6.) The cover or flap does not require to be pointed in the mannerheretofore customary.

(7.) When the cover or flap is turned forward as in Figs. l, 2, 7 it isout of the way at the front of the pocket and less likely to interferewith access to the contents of the pocket and withdrawal of suchcontents.

Vhat is claimed as the invention is l. A pocketed carrier of wovenmaterial comprising a body-supported band or backing and a plurality ofpockets outstanding therefrom in exposed position, having eachpocket-front provided with a cover or flapmember of woven materialrising therefrom, adapted to be bent forward awayvfrom thesupporting-band or backing and from over the ocket and its contents intounclosed condition and to be folded rearward over the top of the pocketand its contents into closed condition, and having also a second memberconnected with the supporting-band or backing at the rear of the pocket,adapted to fold forward and intcrlap with said front cover orflap-member, and fastening means located entirely at the top of theclosed and fastened pocket.

2. A pocketed carrier of woven material comprising a body-supported bandor backing and a plurality of pockets outstanding therefrom in exposedposition, having each pocket-front provided with a cover or flapmemberof woven material rising therefrom, adapted to be bent forward away fromthe supporting-band or backing and from over the pocket and to be foldedrearward over the top of the pocket and its contents into closedcondition, and having also a second relatively narrow member connectedwith the supporting-band or backing at the rear of the pocket, adaptedto fold forward and interlap with said front cover or flap-mem ber, andfastening means located entirely at the top of the closed and fastenedpocket.

` In testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK R. BATCHELDER.

Witnesses:

ALICE M. TIsDALn, W. MORTIMER SIssoN.

